ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the extant literature to examine how dominant age, gender, and health norms in western society influence older women's embodied experiences of weight. It explores how older women perceive and make sense of their weight in a social context in which aging female bodies are considered unattractive and health is simultaneously understood as a moral responsibility and the outcome of individual effort. The chapter describes the literature which has found that older women re-evaluate the importance of appearance in life. It examines the sociocultural norms and bodily ideals that shape and constrain older women's embodiment of weight. In addition to a consideration of body image and weight in life, there is a growing literature that has explored eating disorders among older women. The chapter concludes with the overall implications of the sociocultural research and theorizing concerning older women's embodiment of weight and suggest possible ways forward.
